Improvement in newel-posts



, H. 1). BEAM-1.,

News] Post.

No. 211,291. Patented Jan. 14, 1879.

1 PHOTO LITHOGRAFNER WASHINGTON D C UNITED PATENT FFIGE.

HENRY D. BEACH, OF GENEVA, NEW YORK.

lM PROVEIVIENT IN NEWEL-POSTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 211,291, dated January 14, 1879; application filed November 30, 1878.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY D. BEACH, of Geneva, in the county of Ontario and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in N ewel-Posts; and

y I do hereby declare that the following is a and arrangement hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawing, A represents the base B, the center piece 5 G, the column or barrel, and D the top piece, secured together by a rod, E, as usual. The base A and column 0 are both made of a series of staves, a, a a. At the edges these staves are provided withtongues and grooves b b, dowels, or other means by which the staves may be connected together to make a firm and tight joint. Dovetailed blocks, strips of metal, or wire hooks may be employed for the purpose. ()n the inside of each of the staves is secured a slat or strip, G, preferably of soft wood, but, if desired, ofmetal or other material. They are secured by nails or any other means to the staves before the latter are set up. They are made somewhat shorter than the staves to leave room for the washers or clamping-plates.

H H are the washers or clamping-plates,

consisting, preferably, of two layers of wood crossing each other at right angles to prevent warping, expandin or splitting but, if desired, they may be made of metal. They are of such size and form as to fit closely in the open end between the staves, resting upon or against the abrupt ends of the strips G G, to which they are secured bytnails or screws passing endwise into said" strips. Ahole in the center of each allows the rod E to pass through. The washer or clamping-plate on top of the column 0 is preferably thin metal, and is attached directly on top of the staves instead of being sunken, as, owing to the small size of the top of the column, it is easier to apply, and it is covered by the top piece D, so as not to be seen.

The object of this invention is to facilitate and cheapen the construction of newels. Ordinaril y they are made by veneering on. a solid center, and when made of staves are difficult to connect and adjust in the parts and make fine work.

When the strips G are applied, as above described, the staves are fitted in place in an in closing-clamp, having set-screws to each stave. By turning up the set-screws the staves are brought up to place, the tongues and grooves are broughttogether, and thewashers or clamping-plates H H being fitted in the ends between the staves form gages to keep the exact position of the staves. When the whole is completed, by simply tacking or nailing the said washers down upon the ends of said interior strips the whole is secured together in form for setting up, or for transportation, or storage. When all is secured the washers serve as a binding to prevent either expansion or contraction of the parts.

The newel may be made round, polygonal, square, or of any other desired form. Balusters and rails of large size may also be made in the same way. In some instances, where veneering is used, the body of the staves, being made of soft wood, may be formed with shoulders to receive the washers, the latter 'coming near or quite to the veneerin g, and the tonguin g and groovm g bem g formed 1n the 7 soft wood. Separate moldings h h may also be applied on top of the base, attached by tongues and grooves, or by dowels. Where veneers are used the bottom may be protected by rubber, metal, or cement at the floor to keep the veneers from scaling or rotting off.

The center piece B is. preferably made of a soft-wood center with four or more pieces secured to it by doweling or pinning, or by gluing. The top of this center piece is provided with a rim, d, over which and embracing the same rests a flange, f, of the bottom of the column, as shown in Fig. 1. This flange, by embracing the top of the center piece, retains the column in place, yet allows a ready separation of the parts. The flange may be notched, scalloped, or formed in any other desired way.

What I claim as new is- The combination, with the staves a a a, provided with tongues and grooves, or equivalent fastenings, of the separate strips or slats G- G, secured to the inner sides of said staves, and made shorter than the staves, and the Washers or clamping-plates H H, restin g within the staves and upon the ends of said strips,

being secured thereto by nails or screws, as herein shown and described, and for the purpose specified.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

HENRY 1). BEACH.

Witnesses R. F. Oseoon, Jncon SPAHN. 

